Lose Control (The Jewel Project #5)

They Do

At the crack of dawn, Lucy was up shouting instructions like a drill sergent. It took Angie a few moments to figure out why this strange woman was yelling at her to get up because they had a ton of things to do.

The wedding was at two.

And yet, Angie complied, took a shower and got dressed in some sweats and a t-shirt since she actually had to go out and buy a dress.

"You don't have a dress?" Lucy shrieked. "Thank God you're not in the wedding. But even so, if you step inside the church dressed like this, I will freaking murder you."

"I'll get a dress, chill," Angie mumbled, tying up her shoelaces. "You were a lot more human last night."

Lucy huffed, but was fortunately reduced to silence by a knock on the door. Though the moment she opened, Angie's stomach sunk into the floor. Kay stood there, wearing a midnight blue silk dress that perfectly matched Lucy's.

"Ah, the prodigal daughter returns," she said, looking completely not impressed. 

"Hi, Kay," Angie whispered, trying to force herself to believe that Kay couldn't shoot lasers out of her eyes and end her.

"Everything on track?" Lucy asked.

"We've hit a bit of a snag," Kay said, her killer eyes moving to the maid of honor. "And the little stow away may actually come in handy." She waved Angie over. "Come on."

"Can you handle it?" Lucy said, sounding worried.

"Yes. We'll see you in church to finish setting up the flowers."

Angie scurried to the door and was half-glad, half-terrified that she and Kay were finally alone, even if Kay grabbed her arm and pulled her along with impressive speed for someone wearing towering heels.

"You don't seem surprised to see me," she said.

"I'm not. Skye let us know you were here. Which reminds me." Kay stopped in the middle of the carpeted hallway and let her go. "Just what the hell were you thinking?"

"I know, I know, I should've let them know I was coming."

"Yes, that! Also, three lousy texts? I write to you constantly and you only answer to prove you're not dead?" Kay propped her fists on her hips. "You still have the watch. We'll know when you're dead."

Angie glanced at it out of reflex and hid her hands behind her back. "Look, I left to get away."

"Yes! From the Agency, from the press, from the pressure. Maybe from Tom. Not from your friends, and definitely not from me."

Angie's cheeks burned with shame and she stared at her feet. This whole wedding thing was proving to be a disastrous idea. "You all judge me."

"We don't judge you. We're just upset that we care for you and you're throwing us out of your life. Without any valid reason."

Kay made a fair point, but it didn't change things. "I need time for myself."

"Fine. But don't cut us off."

That was exactly what she'd done. And it hurt more to hear it from Kay than maybe anyone else. Because Kay had always been there every time she'd chosen to run away. And after she'd nearly killed her own relationship to stand by Angie, she deserved better than this.

"Okay, I understand. I'm sorry. But--"

Kay lifted her finger. "No but. Leave it at you're sorry and think about it."

Her tone sounded a little off, so when she started walking again, Angie hurried to catch up. "Everyone's still fine though, right?"

Kay threw her a glance over her shoulder. "Define fine."